Premiere In the first performance, the artists of
Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater Tamilla Shiraliyeva - Shahrizad, Rafael Grigoryan - Shahriyar, I. Nizamaddinova - Nurida, R. Arifulim and R. Zeynalov - Nurida's favorite slave, S. Bordanov - Spirit bird, A. Kurkov - Aladdin, F. Yusifova - Budur, S. Rahmatulin - the leader of 40 robbers, V. Andreyev - Alibaba, L. Povliy - Marjana, O. Vorgonov - performed as a witch. Gamar Almaszade says that "
Each first performance, as well as the performance of a new original work, is an outstanding event not only for the authors and the theater, but also for the audience... Along with the achievements of all the participants of the performance, I want to note the high artistry of ballet master Naila Nazirova. From the point of view of professionalism, this ballet master matures from performance to performance and pleases us with his new successes. The ballet "Arabian Nights" is his creative victory. Ballet is a new high level in the development of Azerbaijani choreographic art. Organically connecting classical choreography with elements of folk dances, including Arab folk dances, N. Nazirova created a memorable and beautiful performance." Elbey Rzaguliyev, speaking about the artistic design of the stage during the first staging, says: "
Every play prepared with the participation of Togrul Narimanbeyov is eagerly awaited, you believe that communication with a high art example will definitely bring you joy. The decorations prepared by the famous artist for the play "Arabian Nights" turned out much better than I expected. These decorations are a novelty in Soviet scenography, the next success of Azerbaijani theater-decoration art. As always, Narimanbeyov has created a beautiful, handsome color with great influence. His decorations fascinate people with the richness of their colors and interesting creative style. Based on the sketches of the young artist Tahir Tahirov, the costumes for the play were also made with great taste and skill." R. Zohrabov notes that "...the ballet troupe of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater showed its best qualities in this performance. In the choreography of the ballet, Shahriyar's courageous and temperamental character, Shahrizad and Shahriyar's love duet, Baghdad bazaar, Alibaba and forty robbers are noteworthy. The choreographic solution of the play's storyline is a great invention of the
ballet master...N. One of Nazirova's wonderful findings is that she was able to organically combine classical ballet movements and national dance terms." In 1981, the Georgian premiere of the ballet took place at the Tbilisi Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. Z. Anjaparidze notes that "Z. The performance on the stage of Tbilisi Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Paliashvili was a remarkable event at the celebrations dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of the Republic... I don't remember another performance that excited our collective so much. All the days that the production team from Azerbaijan worked in the theater were quite intense. The collective of our theater worked very responsibly on the ballet. Light came day and night from the workshops, where costumes were made, decorations and clothing were made. The rich choreographic dance language of the ballet fascinated the Georgian audience. Classical heritage and national folklore are boldly synthesized in music, artistic design, and choreography. The Georgian artists who played the main roles were able to convey the intention of the play's authors through dance." Composer F. Amirov, commenting on the performance of the ballet in Georgia, says, "I am happy that the ballet was a great success among the discerning Tbilisi audience. I would like to specially mention such a point that our Georgian colleagues...they solved the most serious problems encountered in the course of the work with their feet." Conductor Boris Gruzin says that "the success of the ballet is connected with the beautiful music of Fikret Amirov", and ballerina Lyubov Kershinova, People's Artist of Russia, says that "I was lucky enough to be the first performer of the role of Shahrizad in the Novosibirsk theater. In 1983, the ballet was staged at the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theater in Ukraine. L. Minkin writes that "the ballet master succeeded in the appropriate choreographic interpretation of the music of V. Shumeik, Honored Artist of Tatarstan. In the work, the organic unity of three aspects - the plasticity of Eastern dances, classical elements and modern dance lexicon - made the ballet interesting in terms of choreography. This is clearly expressed, for example, in the sharp dances of the executioners, in the sword-like cut of crossed hands. Shahrizadeh's final part attracts attention with the successful fusion of the classical duet with a short steady, typical oriental pose. The image of Shahrizade, created by E. Rykova, wins the sympathy of the audience with its youthful charm and feminine beauty. This is the undoubted success of the young ballerina. Honored Artist of Ukraine A. Boyntsov warmly and convincingly portrayed Shahriyar's complex psychological image. This party requires the embodiment of various emotional and psychological states. Transition from a calm, happy state (lyrical duet with Nurida - soloist Y. Ogurtsova) to a shocking, hopeless, angry, merciless state, then the first daring attempts to test Shahrizad, and finally, adoration before her - all this was masterfully given psychologically by the artist. " On October 15, 1983, the ballet "Arabian Nights" was performed by the Azerbaijan Academic Opera and Ballet Theater on the stage of the
Moscow Kremlin. In 1985, the ballet was staged for the first time in Turkey. Ballet master Naila Nazirova, artist Togrul Narimanbeyov, conductor Nazim Rzayev, and costume designer Tahir Tahirov were included in the creative team that prepared the ballet for performance in Turkey for three months by order of Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Theater. The main roles were played by Oskan Arslan (Shahriyar) and Deniz Olgay (Shahrizadeh). On October 25, 2010, the ballet performed by the Kremlin Ballet Theater was presented to the audience on the stage of the
Kremlin Palace.
Tahir Salahov was the production designer of the work, and Olga Polyanskaya was the costume designer. The ballet performance was accompanied by the Sergei Rachmaninov Symphony Orchestra. The main roles of the play were played by Alexandra Timofeyeva in the character of Shahrizad, Mikhail Yevgenov in the character of Shahriyar, Aliya Khasenova in the character of Nurida and others. On February 14, 2014, the Belarusian premiere of the ballet took place at the Belarusian State Musical Theater. The new mysterious choreography of the founding ballet master, People's Artist of Azerbaijan
Madina Aliyeva, the brilliant performance of the symphonic orchestra led by Eyyub Guliyev, the laureate of international competitions, the conductor of the
Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, the colorful scenery and costumes created by the designer-artist Inara Aslanova, embodying the spirit of the Eastern world, Belarus was received with great admiration by the audience. The chief ballet master of the theater, People's Artist of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Ivanov, as well as assistants of the choreographer-ballet master, Honored Artists of Belarus Zhanna Lebedeva and Olga Serko, artist Lyubov Sidelnikova, music editor, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Samir Samadov took part in the production of the performance. Soloists of the Belarusian State Musical Theater, Sergey Glukh (Shahriyar), Irina Voytekunas (Shahrizad), Polina Garunovich (Zibeida), Igor Goncharik (Sinbad the Sailor), Dmitry Lazovik (Aladdin), Mika Suzuki (Prince Budur), Vitaly Borovnev ( Jin), Mike Partush (Chief of Bandits), Aleksandra Krasnoglazova (Marjana) and Nikolai Umerenkov (Alibaba) performed. == Acceptance ==